1 - 10 of 308 results for:
POLISCI

POLISCI 1:The Science of Politics

Why do countries go to war? How can we explain problems such as poverty, inequality, and pollution? What can be done to improve political representation in the United States and other countries? We will use scientific methods to answer these and other fundamental questions about politics.

POLISCI 2:Introduction to American National Government and Politics (AMSTUD 2)

American political institutions (the Presidency, Congress, and the Court) and political processes (the formation of political attitudes and voting) have for some time now been criticized as inadequate to the task of making modern public policy. Against the backdrop of American culture and political history we examine how public policy has been and is being made. We use theories from Political Science and Economics to assess the state of the American system and the policy making process. We use case studies and lectures to analyze contemporary issues including environmental policy, taxes and spending , gun control , economic growth and inequality and mobility. In some of these issue areas we use comparative data from other countries to see how the U.S. is doing relative to other countries. In addition to class room lecture and discussion, student groups are formed to analyze policy issues of relevance to them. (This course has merged with Political Science 123/PubPol 101)

POLISCI 11N:The Rwandan Genocide

Preference to freshmen. In 1994, more than 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu Rwandans were killed in the most rapid genocide in history. What could bring humans to carry out such violence? Could it have been prevented? Why did no major power intervene to stop the killing? Should the U.N. be held accountable? What were the consequences for Central Africa? How have international actors respond to the challenges of reconstructing Rwanda? What happened to the perpetrators? Sources include scholarly and journalistic accounts.

POLISCI 12N:Climate Change and Conflict: Will Warming Lead to Warring?

Policymakers and scholars are increasingly interested in whether climate change and its associated effects could contribute to the risk of violent conflict within and between countries. Will drought and rising temperatures lead to struggles over a dwindling supply of agricultural land? Will shortages of fresh water cause growing tension over access to rivers and lakes? Will rising sea levels cause mass migration from coastal areas, bringing people into conflict? Will social unrest arising from such stresses lead to violent efforts to topple governments or spill over across borders? In this seminar, we explore such questions as: How could the expected effects of climate change make civil or international conflicts more likely? What evidence is there that environmental factors contribute to violent conflicts, historically and today? What regions or countries are most at risk from these challenges, and why? Answering these questions requires that we not only think about the human and social impacts of climate change but also ask basic questions about what causes political violence within and between countries and how we can assess the contribution of different risk factors. Assignments will encourage students to learn more about the conflict risks in countries that interest them and to gain familiarity with some of the methods that political scientists use to explore these issues systematically. The connection between climate and conflict is relatively new area of inquiry, without many settled answers, so this seminar presents an opportunity to explore what we know, what we do not yet know, and what we can do to further our understanding of this issue going forward.

Terms: not given this year
|
Units: 3
|
Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP)

POLISCI 18N:Civil War and International Politics: Syria in Context

How and why do civil wars start, drag on, and end? What does focus of post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy on countries torn apart by civil war tell us about contemporary international relations? We consider these and related questions, with the conflict in Syria as our main case study.

POLISCI 18SC:The Federal Government and the West

Historical development and current status of the relationship between the U.S. federal government and the American West. Land ownership, natural resource management, agriculture, water, energy, and environmental quality.

Terms: not given this year
|
Units: 2
|
Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP)

POLISCI 19N:Politics of Energy Efficiency

We will examine the political context of energy efficiency and climate change. Why are some countries, such as Japan and France, able to achieve high levels of energy efficiency, while others, such as the United States and Australia, struggle to do so? What political factors faciliate or impede energy efficiency policies? Why is international cooperation on climate change so difficult?

POLISCI 22SC:The Face of Battle

Our understanding of warfare often derives from the lofty perspective of political leaders and generals: what were their objectives and what strategies were developed to meet them? This top-down perspective slights the experience of the actual combatants and non-combatants caught in the crossfire. This course focuses on the complexity of the process by which strategy is translated into tactical decisions by the officers and foot soldiers on the field of battle. We will review theories about civil-military relations and the nature of modern warfare and then visit Washington DC to discuss strategy and politics with current and former policy makers. We will also study two important battles in American history: Gettysburg (July 1863) and the Battle of Little Bighorn (June 1876). We will travel to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the Little Bighorn battlefield in Montana. The course's battlefield tours are based on the "staff rides" developed by the Prussian Army in the mid-1800s and employed by the U.S. Army since the early 1900s. While at Stanford, students will conduct extensive research on individual participants at Gettysburg and Little Bighorn. Then, as we walk through the battlefield sites, students will brief the group on their subjects' experience of battle and on why they made the decisions they did during the conflict. Why did Lt. General Longstreet oppose the Confederate attack on the Union Army at Gettysburg? What was the experience of a military surgeon on a Civil War battlefield? Why did Custer divide his 7th Cavalry troops as they approached the Little Bighorn River? What was the role of Lakota Sioux women after a battle? Travel will be provided and paid by Sophomore College (except incidentals) and is made possible by the support of the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). The course is open to students from a range of disciplines; an interest in the topic is the only prerequisite.

POLISCI 24Q:Law and Order

Preference to sophomores. The role of law in promoting social order. What is the rule of law? How does it differ from the rule of men? What institutions best support the rule of law? Is a state needed to ensure that laws are enforced? Should victims be allowed to avenge wrongs? What is the relationship between justice and mercy?

2015-2016 Autumn

POLISCI 24SC:Conservatism and Liberalism in American Politics and Policy

What influence do political ideologies have in American politics and government? In this course, students will study liberal and conservative ideology in American politics and public policy from the mid-20th century onward. The course begins with an examination of ideology in the American public and then considers ideology among political activists and elected officials, focusing on members of Congress and the president. The course will also cover the ideological polarization of political elites and its impact on the policy-making process. In the final part of the course, through a series of policy case studies, students will also evaluate how well certain public policies have met the ideological goals of their liberal and conservative sponsors. The course will included several lunches and dinners with guest speakers.